Many of my students have difficulties telling stories. When looking at a book together, even books they love and have seen many times, they often struggle to understand what they are reading and cannot therefore retell the story in any sequence. A great method I often use with those students is called Colourful Semantics.
What is Colourful Semantics?
Colourful Semantics is an approach aimed at helping children develop grammar and meaning of phrases and sentences. We help children identify WHO is the subject in a story, what is he/she/it DOING to WHAT and WHERE. There are lots of colour coded stages but we tend to start with the basic 4:
WHO = ORANGE
DOING = YELLOW
WHAT = GREEN
WHERE = BLUE
Once a student is accomplished at this level, we move on to different colour codes for describing words (adjectives), connecting words (with/together/and/therefore) feeling words (PINK), timing words (BROWN) eg. when, tomorrow, last week etc.
Colourful Semantics is a really useful method and helps children to organise their sentences. It also helps me knowing how to guide a student in thinking about the story.
The approach can be used with children with a range of Speech and Language Needs, such as:
Developmental Delay / Disorder
Autistic Spectrum Condition
Down Syndrome
Any other syndromes and related speech and language delays
General Literacy difficulties
There are a wide range of benefits to using this approach and I use it in my therapeutic work with children of around 3 years plus. Below is a little video which shows how I use it with this student who has general language difficulties associated with Autism. One of the main benefits with this student is that seeing the Cue Cards helps her to use a much wider range of vocabulary than she would ordinarily generate. Her sentences are getting longer and she is more able to answer questions. In general, I find it useful to help with storytelling and to guide us through the story in a sequence.
There are many on-line games these days that have incorporated the Colourful Semantics Approach. Once a child is familiar with the basic colour scheme then gradually the visual prompts can be reduced to using verbal prompts.
Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.
If you’re worried about your child’s speech, you are absolutely not alone. Many parents I work with tell me the same thing:
‘I’ve been Googling…’ ‘I asked ChatGPT what activities to try…’ ‘TikTok said we should practise this sound every day…’
It makes complete sense. When waiting lists are long, evenings are quiet, and your child is struggling to communicate, it’s natural to look for help wherever you can find it.
AI tools can actually be helpful in some ways. But they also have clear limits especially for children with significant speech delays or speech sound disorders.
Here’s an honest, balanced guide to what AI can do, and what it simply can’t.
✔️ What AI can help with
1. Explaining things in simple language
AI can be very helpful for explaining speech and language terms in a way that’s easy for parents to understand for example, what a phonological delay is, or what Childhood Apraxia of Speech means. It can also suggest possible reasons for a child’s speech delay based on the information you provide.
The difficulty is that parents (or teachers) can only ask questions based on what they notice or perceive to be the problem. In practice, this doesn’t always tell the full story. For example, parents often report that their child ‘can say certain words’, but during an assessment we may find those words are actually produced with consistent error patterns. These patterns give important clues about the underlying nature of the difficulty, whether it’s a delay or a disorder and they guide the speech therapist in choosing the most effective targets to improve intelligibility.
2. Suggesting games and activities
AI is very good at suggesting ideas for games and practice, such as word lists, simple play activities, sound practice games, book suggestions, and ways to encourage talking within everyday routines. These can be especially helpful when you feel stuck or want some fresh inspiration for supporting your child at home. It can help to think of AI as a big ideas bank, somewhere to dip into when you need new, playful ways to keep practice engaging.
3. Helping you prepare questions for a therapist
Some parents use AI to list questions before an assessment, understand reports and organise concerns.
This can make therapy feel less overwhelming and more collaborative.
Used this way, AI can actually support the therapy process.
❌ Where and why AI cannot replace real life speech therapy
There is substantial research supporting the effectiveness of real-life speech therapy compared to generic online resources or AI-generated suggestions. Here are some key points highlighting why in-person therapy is often more beneficial:
Personalisation: Speech therapists assess each child’s unique needs, strengths, and challenges through direct observation and interaction. This personalised approach allows for tailored interventions that address specific issues, which generic resources cannot provide.
Nuanced understanding: Therapists are trained to recognise subtle cues in speech production, including the nuances of sound articulation, language comprehension, and social communication. This expertise enables us to identify underlying issues that may not be apparent through generic assessments.
Motivational support: A speech therapist can provide encouragement, motivation, and emotional support, which can significantly enhance a child’s willingness to participate and engage in therapy. This relational aspect is crucial for building confidence and reducing anxiety around communication.
Evidence-based practices: As a highly trained and specialised speech therapist I utilise evidence-based practices that are grounded in research, ensuring that the techniques used are effective and up to date. This contrasts with generic online information, which may not always be reliable or validated.
Progress monitoring: In-person therapy allows for ongoing assessment and adjustments to the treatment plan. We track progress over time and modify strategies as needed, ensuring that the therapy remains effective and relevant.
Research studies consistently show that individualised, face-to-face interventions lead to better outcomes in speech therapy than generalised approaches. For parents and caregivers, seeking professional help tends to provide a more effective path toward improving their child’s communication skills.
The healthiest way to think about AI
AI works best as a starting point, not a substitute. You might use it to understand your child’s report and learn how speech develops,
But if your child has significant delay or difficulty being understood, what makes the real difference is:
A tailored assessment
A clear therapy plan
Expert target selection
Ongoing adjustment
Support for both child and you the parent!
Dear parents,
If you’ve been turning to AI for help, it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It means you care!
But please know the best outcomes usually come from combining your daily support at home with guidance and support from your speech therapist who knows you and your child.
Many of my past and present clients tell me that they really value my ‘handholding’ and me guiding them in between the sessions. A quick check in is often all that is needed but it makes a huge difference!
Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.
Your child’s speech, language and communication difficulties may impact their self-esteem. And they may show signs of increased frustration. You want them to be full of confidence, increasing their participation in school and fully engaging with their peers.
1. Practise active listening
Speech difficulties can mean that it’s more challenging to understand what your child says. It’s important to show that you’re paying attention, giving them time to express themselves. Focus on what your child says rather than how they are speaking. Remember to maintain eye contact, and actively listen. Active listening and giving time can be trickier than it sounds. I can provide strategies to support your active listening skills.
2. Give other means and forms of communication
Allowing children to express themselves in a variety of ways (e.g., gesture, signs, written, use descriptions to describe a word (e.g., sand – you find it out the beach, it can have pebbles on it, it’s not the sea), use of symbols or high-tech augmentative communication methods such as a computer). Using different ways is vital in reducing frustration and communicating their message. If you’re unsure of what other forms of communication you can use, please contact me for some top tips.
3. Praise efforts
Providing specific praise allows your child to understand what they’ve achieved. E.g., you could praise the way your child listens, or how they take turns, or their resilience (e.g., “I like the way you listened” or “good listening”). Think of different ways you could praise you child during different activities, so you are prepared with phrases that you can use.
4. Have clear start and end points in activities
Some children with speech, language and communication needs have difficulties with transitioning from one activity to another. They also have difficulties with changes in routine. This can add to their frustration and changes in behaviour. So, how do you show a clear start and end to an activity? You can have a visual timetable, or you could have ‘start’ and ‘finish’ boxes where you place all the materials in the box labelled ‘start’. And once the activity has finished, you put the items in the box labelled ’finished’. If you need support with transitions, please contact me.
5. Use visuals
Visuals can support your child to understand routine and spoken language. Visuals can range from symbols to online images, to photographs, or a combination. Explore which type of visuals work well for your children. Using visuals can be powerful if used correctly. Make the most of the opportunities that visuals can provide for your family.
Increase confidence and reduce frustration in children with speech and language and communication difficulties today. Please feel free to contact me if you need any support or tips on maximising these opportunities.
Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.
Watch how cued articulation can transform your child’s speech and language skills!
Cued Articulation involves using specific handshapes and placement cues to guide the speaker’s articulators, such as the tongue, lips, and teeth, to produce accurate sounds. It was originally conceptualised by Jane Passy, a speech-language pathologist. But it is important to know that we can, and often do, also use other speech cues which help our student visualise what they need to do. In other words, we can mix and match our cue pictures depending on what works best with each student.
In the beginning of my speech therapy practice I would stick religiously to Jane Passy’s method but over the years I have learned and used many different visual hand cues which all have worked with individual students.
It is important to remember that this is not an exact science, rather than an art! The art is to find the key to each individual student’s understanding and inspire motivation to try out a sound which they find hard to do.
As an example, the hand signs used by Caroline Bowen’s method, an Australian Speech-Language Pathologist, are quite different to Jane Passy’s signs but they can equally work very well. Caroline Bowen’s visual for the /r/ sound is the ‘rowdy rooster’ — a crazed rooster on a motorbike — and the hand signal is that of revving up the motor bike engine with both hands whilst trying out the /r/ sound! I have a good handful of students who really loved this rooster image and were able to eventually produce a good /r/ using this cue.
So, it is horses for courses with many things, and visual images and hand cues are no exception!
Sound picture cards:
Again, there are a host to choose from and I tend to collect a number of different images for each sound I want to practise with my student. As an example, below are a couple of different examples I use for the sound /p/:
The Nuffield Programme suggests to use this popper card, which works well with a student who knows these poppers and perhaps has one on their trousers.
As an alternative, and especially for younger students, I like using the Popper Pig Card – which I also have in my room so I can quickly show how it pops. Or we can have a popping game in between saying the /p/ sound at times. (The popper card is great as I can use the real toy to help with conveying the /p/ sound as it pops.)
Each card has its own merit and I choose the right card for the individual student.
How I use cued articulation and the visuals in Speech Therapy
Cueing and practice: I introduce the appropriate card and handshapes for the targeted sounds. We then practise producing the sounds.
Reinforcement and feedback: Positive reinforcement encourages progress and builds confidence.
Fading out the cues: Once my student is able to say the sound more easily, we can gradually fade out the speech cues.
Benefits and effectiveness
Using Cued Articulation and Speech Image Cards has been shown to be effective in improving speech production for individuals with various speech and language disorders, including:
Articulation disorders: Difficulty producing specific sounds accurately.
Apraxia of speech: A motor planning disorder that affects the ability to sequence and coordinate movements involved in speech.
Phonology disorders or delays: Confusion and delays in how sounds are organised in categories to convey meaning, errors in sound patterns, for example front sounds are produced at the back, or long sounds are produced as stops.
Stuttering: A fluency disorder characterised by interruptions in speech, such as repetitions and prolongations.
Tips for parents and student speech therapists
Parents can play a crucial role in supporting the implementation of cued articulation at home and in therapy sessions. Here are some tips:
Collaborate with your SLT: Good feedback and communication with the Speech and Language Therapist creates consistency and progress..
Practise Regularly: Encourage consistent practice of cued articulation at home to reinforce learning.
Use Visual Aids: Use the same visuals that your therapist uses in the speech clinic to help your child at home with recall and practice.
Feel free to contact me if you need help with your child.
Sonja McGeachie
Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist
Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice
The London Speech and Feeding Practice
Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.
Playtime! It’s a magic time for exploration, learning, and connection.
If your child is struggling to use words with his/her mouth, we can always use a robust Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device to help find their words. We know that using such a device does never stop or delay children to speak with their mouths. On the contrary it helps, enormously!
Can playtime still be a blast? Absolutely! In fact, incorporating AAC into play can be a powerful way to boost communication skills, build confidence, and create a truly inclusive play experience. Here’s how to make it happen, with a focus on core words and core scripts for our GLP’s (the building blocks of communication used by everyone). In this video I am using the core word ‘IN’ and ‘MORE’.
The Magic of Core Words
Core words are the most frequently used words in everyday communication. They might be verbs like ‘want’, ‘more’, ‘go’, or ‘stop’, or adjectives like ‘happy’, ‘sad’, and ‘hot’. These words are the foundation for building sentences and expressing needs and desires. They’re perfect for children using AAC because they’re simple to understand and use.
Let’s Play! Here’s How
1. Choose Your AAC System
Many options exist! It could be a low-tech picture board with core words, such as the one you see pasted on my cabinet door in the background, or it can be a dedicated AAC app on your tablet. Here I am using the GRID app but I also love using others, such as LAMP Words for Life.
2. Make it Fun and Functional
No pressure! Integrate your AAC system seamlessly into your play routine. Here are some ideas:
Car/trains: Use core words to describe what the cars are doing: (‘down’, ‘go’, ‘stop’, ‘again’ ‘fast’ ‘slow’).
Dress-up: Use core words to choose clothes (‘want’, ‘hat’, ‘shoes’).
Tea Party: Use core words to ask for and share (‘more’, ‘juice’, ‘give’).
Building Blocks: Use core words to describe what you’re building (‘tall’, ‘big’, ‘house’).
Dolls/Stuffed Animals: Use core words to act out scenarios (‘sleep’, ‘eat’, ‘cry’).
Arts and Crafts: Use core words to describe colours (‘red’, ‘blue’), actions (‘draw’, ‘paint’), and feelings (‘happy’, ‘sad’).
If your child is a Gestalt Language Processor you will want to model meaningful, fun scripts instead of single words! As above, but use phrases:
Car/trains: Use scripts to describe what the cars are doing: (‘it’s going down’, ‘let’s go’, ‘make it stop’, ‘want it again’, ‘that was fast’, ‘it’s so slow’).
Dress-up: Use scripts to choose clothes (‘I’m gonna wear this’ ‘that’s a lovely hat’, ‘let’s choose shoes’).
Tea Party: Use scripts to ask for and share (‘I want more’, ‘more juice’, ‘give me this’).
Building Blocks: Use scripts to describe what you’re building (‘a tall one’, ‘that’s so big’, ‘it’s a house’).
Dolls/Stuffed Animals: Use scripts to act out scenarios (‘it’s time to sleep’, ‘let’s eat’, ‘he’s crying’).
Arts and Crafts: Use scripts to describe colours (‘a red crayon’), actions (‘let’s draw’, ‘I’m gonna paint’), and feelings (‘I’m happy’, ‘that’s so sad’).
3. Model, Model, Model
This is key! As you play, constantly model using your child’s AAC system.
Point to the picture or word or script you’re using.
Speak clearly and slowly while pointing.
When using core words for either Analytical or Gestalt Language Processors, try using good phrases. For example, instead of just saying ‘juice’, say, ‘you want more juice?’
4. Make it a Team Effort
Get everyone involved! Encourage siblings, grandparents, and caregivers to use the AAC system with your child during playtime. The more consistent the approach, the faster your child will learn and feel confident using their voice.
5. Celebrate Progress, Big and Small!
Every step counts! Acknowledge and celebrate your child’s efforts, whether it’s reaching for their AAC system or successfully using a core word. This positive reinforcement will keep them motivated.
Remember
Playtime should be fun, not stressful. Don’t force your child to use their AAC system. Let them lead the way and follow their interests.
Every child develops at their own pace. Celebrate your child’s unique communication journey.
Seek professional help when needed. Your SLT can provide tailored strategies and resources to support your child’s development.
By incorporating AAC and core words into playtime, you’re not just fostering communication; you’re creating a space for your child to thrive, explore, and build strong connections.
So, grab those toys, power up your AAC system, and get ready for a playtime adventure filled with fun, connection and, therefore, communication!
Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice
The London Speech and Feeding Practice
Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.
Speech therapists use a variety of tools to help children master specific sounds, and then the students are sent home with some practice sheets to use daily. Parents are able to observe what we do in the session, but I know that back at home three days later they can’t quite remember what it was all about and how to do the practice.
Here I explain the importance of visual cues, finger shapes, pictures, and semantic prompts (fancy speech therapy term for word clues!). By understanding these tools, you can turn practice time into a fun and engaging experience for both of you.
Why Visual Cues matter?
Imagine learning a new language just by listening. It’s tough, right? Young children learning new speech sounds face a similar challenge. Visual cues act like flashcards for their minds, giving them a clear picture of how to position their mouth and tongue.
Mirrors: Encourage your child to watch your face (and theirs) in the mirror as you make the sound together. This helps them see the tongue placement and lip movements required.
Mouth pictures: Speech therapy sheets often have pictures of mouths making specific sounds. Point to the picture and explain how the tongue and lips look, then have your child try to imitate it.
Your face is the best cue! Don’t underestimate the power of your own face. Over-enunciate the sound and let your child observe your mouth movements. Watch this little video clip where I am teaching the /SH/ sound to my little student. You cannot see him but we are both sitting on the floor opposite one another so that he can see me easily.
Finger fun: making sounds with our hands
Finger shapes are another powerful tool in my speech therapy arsenal. Think of them as fun reminders of how to position the tongue.
‘Open Wide’ fingers: For sounds like /AH/ and /OH/, hold your fingers wide apart, mimicking an open mouth.
‘Tongue Up’ fingers: For sounds like /T/ and /D/, touch the tip of your thumb to your other fingers, creating a little ‘wall’ like the tongue tip touches the teeth ridge.
‘Snake Tongue’ fingers: For the /S/ sound, wiggle your pinky finger to represent the snake-like tongue tip.
In this little video clip I am demonstrating the C-shape moving forward which I had taught my child, showing how the windy sound (/SH/) travels forward with lips open and slightly pursed.
Bringing sounds to life with pictures
Pictures serve as visual prompts to connect the sound with a familiar word.
Video clip: I am using the WINDY SOUND picture and the FLAT TYRE sound picture to represent /SH/ and /S/ respectively
Point and Say: Point to each picture and say the word clearly, emphasising the target sound. Encourage your child to repeat.
Unlocking sounds with semantic prompts
Semantic prompts are fancy words for clues that help your child guess the target sound. They can be simple questions or descriptive words.
‘Can you feel the wind whooshing?’ (/SH/)
Think of tyre going flat, or a balloon losing air, or a train coming to a slow halt (/S/)
Practice makes progress, but fun makes it funnier!
Remember, the key is to keep practice sessions light and engaging. Here are some extra tips:
Short and sweet: Stick to short practice times (5-10 minutes) to avoid frustration.
Make it a routine: Integrate practice time into your daily routine, like after breakfast or before bedtime.
Positive reinforcement: Celebrate your child’s efforts with praise and high fives!
Make it multisensory: Incorporate sensory activities like blowing bubbles for /F/ or feeling the wind for /SH/.
Parents you’re a vital part of your child’s speech development, and together we can make huge progress quickly.
Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice
The London Speech and Feeding Practice
Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.
One of my favourite pieces of advice I give to parents is the ‘4 S’, a strategy coined by the Hanen Program® which I teach, particularly the ‘More than Words’ programme which is designed for and aimed at parents of children with Social Communication Difficulties or Autism. It is honestly one of those golden nuggets that I use myself in my practice and I highly recommend it to all my parents. There is something about terms like the ‘4 S’ that is easy to recall and therefore use.
Introduction
The ‘4 S’ is a strategy that helps to clarify the words we use with our children so that they can notice us, hear us and understand what we are saying.
Research shows that we use on average 120-200 words per minute during everyday conversation. That’s a lot! And our children who are still learning to communicate are often bombarded with endless speech coming at them all day long. If we take into account that many of our students are Gestalt Language Processors, we can see that picking out relevant chunks of what we are saying is not at all easy, and this contributes to our children’s delays.
So let’s look at the ‘4 S’
1. The first one is SAY LESS
This means we should use shorter, simpler sentences with good grammar, for example, something like: ‘let’s get ready, time to put our shoes on’ instead of what we might be saying: ‘come on then darling, let’s put your shoes on we need to get going it’s dark outside’ or similar.
Good grammar helps to give clues about what words mean and how they are used in sentences. So, instead of ‘shoes on’ say ‘let’s put our shoes on’.
2. The second one is STRESS
I hear you think ‘I am stressed!‘. – NO! here it means ‘highlight’. We use our voice to highlight the important words in our sentence or phrase. For example, when you say ‘this banana is so yummy’ you can stress the word ‘yummy’ by saying it a bit louder and you can make a gesture, like rubbing your tummy as you say it.
3. The third one is GO SLOW
This means to speak a bit slower than you normally would and add pauses. By slowing down the pace of our speaking we give our child time to think and understand what we are saying. When we allow for pauses after we have spoken, we are inviting our child to say something in response.
4. The last one is SHOW
Always remember to show actions, gestures, objects, and point to pictures while speaking to help support your child’s understanding. We can show our child what words mean by pointing to things or holding up objects whilst describing or talking about them.
At this point I would also like to recommend the use of Core Boards, and particularly Electronic AAC devices, such as LAMP Words for Life or PODD. I have written about this in other blogs but can always be persuaded to say a bit more on the matter… 😊 It is such a big help to have an AAC talker available for both the child and the adult so we can find words and pictures to help support the words we are saying.
For example, today when reading a book like The Hungry Caterpillar (so good!) I used my LAMP AAC talker to make comments as we were looking at the pages together with my student. Example: ‘Look! He is eating more cake he is very hungry’ using my AAC talker I was able to supplement my speech and at the same time I was inviting my minimally speaking child to press a button or two and reply with ‘cake!’ which they would not have said with their mouth otherwise.
5. It does say ‘4 S’ but really it should be ‘5’ except the fifth is not an ‘S’
The fifth is REPEAT.
Repeat words and phrases often throughout the day. When learning a language we all need to hear words and phrases several times and in different situations before we can understand, remember, and then eventually use them. Our children are ‘new language learners’ and so we can apply the same principles that we would when learning a new foreign language ourselves.
Any questions or need help with supporting your little one’s language please contact me via my contact form, or you could also check out www.hanen.org for advice and lots of inspiration.
Sonja McGeachie
Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist
Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice
The London Speech and Feeding Practice
Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.
